Folding-leaf table.



A. WANNER, Ja.

FOLDING LEAF TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-5,1915.

12%,864. Patented Dec. 19,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES A. WANNER, JR.

FOLDING LEAF TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. ma.

I I x Patented Dec. 19,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, 1mil guy;

ALBERT WANNER, JR., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING-LEAF TABLE.

Application filed February 5, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, ALBERT WANNER, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFolding-Leaf Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to folding leaf tables, and its object is toprovide means whereby the leaf or leaves of such tables when extendedmay be held in a state of practically absolute rigidity, both in respectto upward or downward pressure applied to the leaf, and so to constructthe parts that this feature will remain unimpaired throughout the lifeof the table.

According to this invention there is provided, in combination with thefixed member and folding leaf member of a table top structure and a leafsupporting arm underlying and crossing the adjoining edges of saidmembers and bearing against and pivoted to one of them to swing in ahorizontal plane clear of the other, means binding said arm and theother member against relative up or down movement.

The invention contemplates the inclusion, if desired, in a table thuscharacterized of one or more of the following advantageous features, towit: That the said means shall bind together the arm and each of saidmembers against relative up or down movement; that the said means shallhave a wedge action in binding; that said means shall extend outwardlyfrom a point relatively close to the pivot of the arm; and that inconjunction with said means there shall be employed means .to releasablylock the arm against return when the binding means is acting.

The accompanying drawings show the invention in connection with a tableof a type having its top structure comprising a rectangular center partand four leaves hinged thereto, but this is obviously immaterial, as thenumber of the leaves may be more or less.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the table; Fig. 2 anunderneath plan view of its top structure, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 6,252.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

supporting part of the table appearing in horizontal section and theleaves being extended; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary viewsubstantially like Fig. 2, excepting that one leaf is in folded positionand the supporting arm of another appears partly with drawn; F ig. l isa view substantially on the line a2a in Fig. 3, looking in the directionof the arrow A- in said Fig. 3, and the leaf supporting arm being shownmoved inward somewhat farther than in said figure; Fig. 5 is a sectionalview on the line y-g in Fig. 3, also looking in the direction of thearrow A in said figure; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line z-z inFig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow B in said figure andshowing the end of the arm broken away; and, Figs. 7 8 and 9 illustratedetails.

To the sides of the fixed rectangular center part a. of the table topare pivoted in the usual manner, as by hinges b, the leaves 0 which,when extended, stand in the same plane as the center part and which,when folded, lie under and flat against the under side of the centerpart.

The center part is supported by any suitable frame, such as the pedestal(Z having horizontal crossed arms 6, halved into each other (Fig. l) towhich the center part is secured directly by screws 7, or otherwise.Arranged parallel with the sides of the center part and secured in placein any desired manner in the angles formed by the arms 0 are the fixedstrips g. Immediately outward of these strips each arm 6 is reduced inthickness, as at it, by recessing it on the upper side.

Each leaf supporting arm 2' has one end forked, as at 9', and receivingthe thinned portion h of an arm 6, and it is pivoted thereto by a screwl: or otherwise. These screws are driven into the parts before the tabletop is secured on its frame, so that when the latter is in place theyare not removable. Each arm swings from a position where it is incontact with a plate spring Z suitably secured to the adjoining strip g,in which position an elongated recess m in the outer face of the arm isadapted to receive the edge of the corresponding leaf and thus supportthe same, folded, to a position where It is highly desirable to providemeans for rigidly supporting or reinforcing the leaves of folding leaftables against either up or down movement when extended, and especiallyfolding leaf tables of the small round type whose leaves are subjectedto frequent strain in the attempt to move them about by lifting them bytheir extended leaves or by persons resting against or upon the extendedleaves. The reinforcing means should be of such character as to hold theleaf rigid not only when theparts are new, but permanently. To theseends, assuming that the supporting arm is pivoted to the center part ofthe table top structure, I provide the devices shown in Fig. 7 whichwhen the arm is extended bind the arm immovably against the under sideof the leaf, and in the preferred form employ one or more of similardevices to bind the arm immovably to the center part. These are soformed that when the arm is forced outwardly'into engagement with themthey cam or wedge the arm against opposing surfaces, as of the leaf andcenter part, so that the arm becomes fixed not only to the leaf but tothe center part to a degree making the support afforded by the pivot ofthe arm almost a negligible quantity, excepting that it coacts in thebest form of the invention with the aforesaid locking pin it to preventthe arm possibly working inwardly clear of said devices. These devicesare preferably arranged in a line which is parallel with a radius of thepivoting pin of the arm and with the nearest one to said pivotrelatively close thereto, so that they thus progressively come intobinding relation to the arm as the latter is swung outwardly andeliminate any possibility of the arm, should it sag slightly, workingunder any of said devices instead of V properly ngaging therewith.

The device shown in Fig. 7 is a metallic fitting having a base 3),provided with holes for screws 9 to secure it in place, and an integralupstanding laterally projecting tapered stud or projection 7. When inplace as shown in the drawings, the stud r is adapted to enter a taperedhole 8 in the arm when the latter is swung outwardly, the taper of thestud and hole serving to cam or wedge the arm upwardly against thesurface above.

T reduce the wear at either the holes 0 or the holes .9 I prefer todrive a staple t into the wood at the side of hole where the wear comes;see Figs. 8 and 9.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. A table including a top structurehaving a fixed member and a leaf member hinged to one side of andfoldable under the fixed member, a leaf supporting arm underlying andcrossing the adjoining edges of said members and bearing against andpivoted to one of them to swing in a horizontal plane clear of theother, and a binding device for the arm secured to the underside of saidother member laterally of the arm and having a binding portionprojecting toward the arm and'formed' with an upper beveled surf-ace,said arm having a downwardly facing surface adapted to engage over saidbeveled surface of the binding device to bind said other member and armtogether.

2. A table including a top structure having a fixed member and a leafmember hinged to one side of and fold-able under the fixed member, aleaf supporting arm underlying and crossing the adjoining edges of saidmembers and bearing against and pivoted to one of them to swing in ahorizontal plane clear of the other, a binding device for the armsecured to the under side of said other member laterally of the arm andhaving a binding portion projecting toward the arm and formed with anupper beveled surface, said arm having a downwardly facmg surfaceadapted to engage over said beveled surface of the binding device tobind said other member and arm together, and means to latch the armagainst pivotal movement when engaged by the binding device. A tableincluding a top structure having a fixed member and a leaf "memberhinged to one side of and foldable under the fixed member, a leafsupporting arm underlying and crossing the adjoining edges of saidmembers and bearing against and pivoted to one of them to swing in ahorizontal plane clear of the other, and wedge means binding said armand the other member against relative up or down movement and extendingfrom a point relatively close to the pivot of said arm longitudinally ofsaid arm.

4-. A table including a top structure having a fixed member and a leafmember hinged to one side of and fold-able under the fixed member, aleaf supporting arm underlying and crossing the adjoining edges of saidmembers and bearing against and pivoted to one of them to swing in ahorizontal plane clear of the other, and a series of wedge devicesbinding said arm and the other member against relative up or downmovement and extending from a point relahaving sliding movement over theface of the in presence of two Witnesses.

tively close to the pivot of said arm outnamed part at the hole andaffording contaot wardly. to said securing device. 10

5. In combination, with tWo parts one In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature other, one of said parts having a hole there- ALBERT WANNER, JR. in, a securing device on the other part Witnesses:

adapted to enter the hole and prevent such CHAs. E. WALTER,

movement, and a staple driven into the first- J. DEMM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington,]) 0.

